Strategies for Paying for Your RA Medications

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Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis often involves prescription medications and can also include surgery, biologic therapies, and physical and complementary therapies. For a chronic illness like RA, expenses can add up quickly. If you have insurance, it will often cover most treatment costs, but you may still have significant out-of-pocket expenses in meeting deductibles or other non-covered charges. If you can't afford these expenses, how can you continue to get the treatment you need?

The good news is that there are a number of financial assistance resources for people living with RA, depending on need. You just need to know where to go and what to do to take advantage of what's available.

NeedyMeds: A One-Stop Source for RA Financial Aid

The organization NeedyMeds is a one-stop resource for people who need help with paying the costs of their medical care for many conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. On the NeedyMeds Web site, you can find information on federal- and state-sponsored health insurance programs, private patient assistance programs, and programs that offer financial assistance for specific conditions such as RA.

NeedyMeds also provides a tip sheet on how to save money on medications and a list of brand name and generic drugs, and the patient assistance programs that cover their cost.

Get Payment Help from HealthWell

The HealthWell Foundation is a non-profit organization founded in 2003 for the purpose of providing financial assistance to patients who need help covering their medical costs. Funds are available to eligible patients for healthcare expenses that include:

Prescription drug coinsurance, co-payments and deductibles

Health insurance premiums

Selected out-of-pocket healthcare costs

When determining who is eligible, HealthWell takes into account an individual's financial, medical and insurance situation along with other criteria. To keep its funding available to those in need, HealthWell relies on donations from individuals and organizations. To find out if you qualify for assistance, go to healthwellfoundation.org.

Take Advantage of Drug Company Assistance Programs

For low-income people who cannot afford their prescription medications, a number of drug companies provide ways to obtain medications for free or at low cost. Often referred to as Patient Assistance Programs, each one has different rules and application processes.

Below are links to some of the patient assistance programs offered by companies that make rheumatoid arthritis medications. More links can be found at needymeds.com.

Another way to get help paying for medications is through your state's discount prescription program. In Washington state, for example, any resident may qualify to obtain a Prescription Drug Discount Card through the Washington Prescription Drug Program. Participating pharmacies accept the card and provide the discount at the time of sale.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) recently reported that 42 states have established or authorized prescription drug assistance programs. To find out if your state has such a program, take a look at the NCSL report, which includes tables that designate which states have programs and whether changes to the program are underway.

Are You Eligible for Medicare or Medicaid?

Two federal health insurance programs provide low or no-cost health insurance to certain individuals. Medicare insurance is available to people 65 and older, some disabled people under 65, and people with end-stage renal disease (permanent kidney failure treated with dialysis or a transplant). Medicare has several plans that provide coverage for prescription drugs. You can find more information about the plans by visiting the Medicare Web site.

In contrast to the Medicare program, Medicaid is a federal health insurance program run by individual states, so each state sets its own guidelines regarding eligibility and services. Medicaid is available only to certain low-income individuals and families who fit into an eligibility group that is recognized by federal and state law. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has extensive information about both programs.

More Information on Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

For more information on rheumatoid arthritis, check out these HealthTalk resources:

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